R2R Pt 2: Out to the Island

The alarm clock sounds.  The morning has arrived sooner than I had wanted.  Slowly, I drag myself out of bed.  3:30 am is what the clock face reads.  I am excited, but motivated.  There is no turning back.  After my original ride fell through, Enzo had been kind enough to agree to take me to the dock where I would board the boat to the island, then follow me home.

The packing goes smoothly, having decided to prepare the night before and leave nothing to chance.  6 am and Enzo arrive right on time.  I hop in the car, thanking him for helping me get to the boat.  He’s an awesome guy and says, " Don’t worry about it.  We chat a bit, helping cut the edge I feel about this adventure.  I ask Enzo if he’s been to Catalina, and he says he has, but he gets seasick on boats.  I tell him I do as well, I’m hoping to avoid that this trip.

We wind our way through the residential neighborhood of Newport Beach.  The homes in the back bay are large and beautiful. Expense is obviously not spared.  Occasionally, an older home, obviously less cared for, sprinkles in with the wealth, though they will be gone, and a mini mansion will be in its place.  As I talk to Enzo, I tell him it will be my first time in Catalina.  An island only 20ish miles from California’s coast, and I have never been to its shores.  This will be the furthest I’ve been out on a boat.  I have not set foot on one since I was on a whale watching boat in elementary school.  Aside from those two factors, to get home, I will have to do it prone paddling for 22ish miles.  Also, the farthest distance I have yet to paddle.

Many firsts were happening this weekend.

We pull up in front of the house.  I grab my bags.  Giving Enzo a hug and a thank you for the lift.  He drives off to his job and life.  I turn and face this adventure.  There is no turning back now.

Out of the short walkway, the boat comes into view, and Keri and Ali are already on board, pumped for the adventure that is ahead.  Mike and his wife, Tish, show up not long after I do.  Prepacking the boat the night before makes our 7 am launch time easy to hit, and we actually take off 15 minutes early.  A 45-minute to an hour ride lies ahead to leave the large Newport Harbor.  All vessels powered by a motor must maintain a 5 mph speed limit or slower while in the harbor.

I make my way to the front of the boat.  Riding on such a beautiful boat was quite a first—a 50ish foot Rivera Yacht, sleek in design, glistening white even under the overcast skies.  The cabin sits at the same level as the back… Patio area, you’d call it.  Just inside the cabin is the galley.  Complete with a full-size fridge, oven, sink, counter, and microwave.  A kitchen table and bench seats are big enough to sit a good-sized crew of 6 folks.  Past the kitchen was the Captain's chair.  Completely computerized and ready to run the entire boat on its own, it looked like.

We make our way under the PCH bridge and head out to the main channel.  It’s fantastic to watch the houses from this different perspective.  Higher in the air versus lying flat on my stomach, 9” at best above the water.  Gliding effortlessly.  Keri and Alice join me on the front of the boat, and we chat about their previous paddle, the conditions, and what it’ll be like doing this, among other topics that life brings up.

Before exiting the harbor, we have to fill up the boat with 200 gallons of fuel.  In astonishment, I ask the man driving the boat this weekend how many gallons the ship can hold.  Six hundred gallons, he replies.   I am floored.  I don’t know why.  Being a powerboat, not a sailboat, we move only with engine power.

The harbor fuel dock is a cute little floating dock with everything you need before heading out into the open sea.  Snacks, drinks, beer, and even fruit, but no bananas.  For some reason, bananas are bad luck on board boats of any kind, a superstition I broke when I brought bananas on board as a snack to share with the paddling crew.  We grab some extra snacks, top up the tanks, then take off for the harbor opening.

We exit the harbor into the grey expanse, and the rock walls and homes grow smaller and smaller.  Overcast skies make for grey waters.  As above, so below.  I sit down on the back benches, my body and mind finally able to relax, and I slip into a gentle sleep.

When I wake, the land is gone.  Swallowed by the distance and clouds.  My stomach is now growling, and I know I’ll need food today to fuel my endeavor tomorrow.  Rising from the bench seat, I walk through the door at the stern of the boat.  “It’s All Good”’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection number catches my eye, and my heart stops.  I run inside and bring Keri out. I show her the number.  5552530.  “It’s All Good”. I have no idea how true that name is.

Catalina rises out of the water.  Dark hills, blanketed in grey, puffy clouds, and choppy grey water greet us.  I am anxious and terrified, both feelings that have followed me across the channel, but despite the fear, I feel the island is beautiful, and the waters are crystal blue.  I must make it a point to return to the island and explore it further.

Steve, Keri’s husband, catches the mooring line and ties the boat off—a skill I’ll have to learn to be a skilled waterman.  The dock check-in boat comes up, asking for the vessel information.  The vessel gets prepared for the overnight stay.  The prone paddleboards are moved to the deck near the bow, and the bags are unpacked.  Evan, Gat, and their support crew, Barry and Josh (verify), come over in their little Boston Whaler.  Evan and Gat will be sleeping in the galley of “It’s All Good”.

Taking the inflatable dinghy from the boat to the island was quite the experience—another first.  The water flows around us, clear and blue.  The desire to sail my own boat here, dive, and explore the island grows stronger.  A childhood dream of living aboard a ship in the blue waters of the Caribbean or the South Pacific resurfaces.

On land, we go to one of the two restaurants in Two Harbors.  I get a burger, fries, and a beer.    My nerves need to be chilled.  It is July 13th, and the summer crowds have shown up on the island—people mill about, getting food, having drinks, or just people watching.

After the meal, we decided to walk across the isthmus separating Two Harbors from Cat Harbor (Catalina Harbor).  Red dust covers the service road, then my shoes.  A little less than a mile separates the two harbors and doesn’t take long to cross.

The day rolls on, we relax and lounge on the boat, and while I’m social, I’m not as relaxed as I can be. Tomorrow I have to paddle home. The rest of the crew, more experienced than I, quite a few of them have already crossed the channel, are relaxed. Enjoying the beautiful sun. Jumping off the starboard side of the 50+ foot boat.

At 5 pm, there will be a meeting on shore for all the paddlers. You’ll also pick up your GPS tracker/SOS signal device and instructions for using it.

The crowd at the meeting is large. Paddlers and support crew gather on the beach near where we’ll launch the following morning. The meeting doesn’t last long, and then the crowd scatters to wherever they’ve made “home " for the night.

We return to our boats. Dawn will be here quickly.